354558 Wed Dec 27 00:00:57 -0800 2006 4 35 Beer 0 2130113 Hey I have a question: are all "saison" beers supposed to be the same style regardless of the season? (I think the cognate threw me off cuz) I bought a bottle of fantome saison thinking it would be a winter beer - dark, malty, etc - but this thing was super bright, lemony and tart. Tasted more like a hefe-weizen than what I was expecting. I don't even know if it was any good it was so far from what I was expecting (and desiring.) ON a super hot summer day, I think it might be great but if it's made for the summer, why was it on display as a winter beer where I bought it? I corked half of it, so I'll give it another try. Much better were the Fin Du Monde, Lagunitas Imperial Reds, and Yulesmiths I had available. Wed Dec 27 00:00:57 -0800 2006 12853 mr mouther 1 2130150 Standard Fanotme Saison is a summertime ale. He does produce a winter ale, called Fantome Noel. The store that stocked the standard saison with the winter beers did you a disservice. Fantome is widely regarded as a very fine brewery. http://www.sheltonbrothers.com/beers/breweryProfile.asp?BreweryID=13 Wed Dec 27 00:24:29 -0800 2006 2130113 10809 Josh 2 2131267 I tried the second half of this bottle last nite. It's the first time I've ever saved a beer - it was corked for 48 hours in my fridge. That certainly didn't help the beer: it poured with very little carbonation left in it, and the taste was even more tart. I actually took a couple sips and poured it out - tasted like fetid lemon juice. I've read on other sites about people also having a bad reaction to this beer, like it got spoiled , and I think that could have happened. I would be astonished if what I tasted was the beer described as "the nectar of the gods." Wed Dec 27 16:51:46 -0800 2006 2130150 12853 mr mouther 3 2131492 Fantome is a tricky product. It's an extremely small brewery and they are hand bottled so my experience has been wild variations from batch to batch and even bottle to bottle. I've had good ones that are incredible, but I've also had ones like you describe. Although the brewer is very secretive about his ingredients and process, I believe there is brettanomyces in the standard saison that if stored improperly will take off and "sour" the beer. As for Saison style, there really isn't one IMHO, more info on that can be found here... http://beeradvocate.com/forum/read/825295/825641/ Wed Dec 27 17:53:43 -0800 2006 2131267 20858 Kevin B 1 2131945 Here's the link to BA's (not very informative) description of the style. But you can peruse the list of available saisons. They vary a lot I think. A fairly universally loved saison from Ommegang, Hennepin, to me is more like a Belgian blonde ale. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/129 Wed Dec 27 20:29:54 -0800 2006 2130113 16728 kenito799